Kennedy Parker
🎨𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙🎨
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We are at the Snow Dome for this much anticipated preliminary final match up between the Minor Premiers the Mount Buller Demons taking on last season's runner-up the Sin City Swamprats. The Demons came into the finals series as the clear dominant force of the competition with a 12-5 record and no team sheet penalties, a very high scoring style of play the hallmark of their success. The Swamprats on the other hand, started the season slow as they usually do before going on a run for the finals in the second half of the season to make it into 7th spot again.
Mount Buller Demons Analysis
The Demons coming off a disappointing Season 25 when they missed finals bounced back in emphatic style in Season 26 playing a very attractive brand of Qooty both home and away under new leader Yakker. They back themselves to score and have a very free-flowing game plan hence they have managed to score 100 points in 11 games. They have a midfield combination of manangatang , Tarkyn_24 , and DemonJim who all win the ball as well as have an impact on the scoreboard each averaging close to a goal a game.
The season started out for the Demons in steady fashion with a 3-3 record after Round 6 but they would hit their straps on an 8 game stretch where they would brush aside all challengers and cement their spot on top of the ladder and a place in finals. During this winning streak they would average 117.6 points while conceding a relatively high 97.4.
How did they get these results so consistently?
- The strong emphasis on fast-paced attacking Qooty is what allows the Demons to rack up high scores. Given they trained in high altitude and cold conditions during the pre-season, the Demons have a much superior fitness base compared to most other opposition. Especially, at the Snow Dome, their opponents simply cannot keep up with them for four quarters and they focus less on defence with the confidence that they can outgun most teams.
- Multiple scoring options and unpredictability makes the Demons difficult to defend against as they have multiple avenues to goal; FinBar19, ABray10, Freo Hammer 21, cats2rise, lion around, and manangatang who average a goal a game. The spread of goalkickers means the Demons don't rely on any one player to kick a score and can maintain their potency consistently.
- To complement their frenetic pace, the Demons also have the inside grunt to get things started in the engine room with DemonJim and Tarkyn_24 both ranked in the Top 4 for tackles and Manangatang offering good service with substantially the most hitouts of any ruck. This was on display in the Qualifying Final when the muddy conditions took the pace out of the game the midfield still outmuscled the Wonders.
Sin City Swamprat Analysis
The Swamprats overcame their seasonal early slump to once again find a way at the pointy end of the season. Much of the Rats' early struggles revolved around an inability to kick a winning score. This was particularly the case at their home ground where they averaged an awful 77 points per game and only won 1 game for the season at Underground Stadium (albeit against the Demons), which is mostly why they come into finals as the lowest scoring team.
The revival in the latter half of the season did not see any significant improvements in scoring but a much more fortified defence. Between Round 12 and the Elimination Final, the Swamprats conceded an average of only 81 points and managed to win 5 out of 7. In the semi-final the Swamprats offensive game finally clicked to win a shootout against the Gumbies. After they got out to a fast start, the Swamprats threw caution to the wind and came up trumps which should give them confidence if the Demons game ends up being a shootout.
In addition, the Rats are visiting the Snow Dome and having won 9 out of the 11 games they've played away from Underground Stadium along with the two wins over the Demons in Season 26. They've shown themselves to be capable of toppling the minor premiers. How can they do it?
- In their two wins over the Demons the Rats hunted them and out-tackled the Demons despite breaking even or winning the possession count. This manic pressure to cause turnovers is what breaks down the Demons' fast-paced play style that has proven so effective for them.
- Shark the hitouts. Since the Demons have quite a significant advantage in the ruck in hitouts this season, the Rats main mids in Ant Bear, philreich, SarahSmiles and GotTheGoodes will need to read opposition taps out of the hand. With GotTheGoodes and Sarahsmiles both in the top 10 for disposals the Swamprats are quite adept at this.
- Although the Rats won a shootout against the Gumbies last week, the record when the opposition scores 90 points or more is 4-8. This compares far less favourably to the record when the opposition score less than 90 points which is 6-1. To get it on the Rats' terms they need to make the game ugly, dour and slow which will suit their defensive style much better.
Stoppage Battle: Whichever follower line can win the hardball and outmuscle the other will give their side control of how the game is played. Can sportsmaniac89 nullify the impact of Manangatang? Who will prevail out of Nunez and philreich vs the veteran pair DemonJim and Tarkyn_24? Third Quarter: The two clashes between these teams this season have been close at half-time before the Swamprats lifted it up a notch in the third. Expect the team that comes out strong after halftime to go a long way to winning the game again. Pace Of The Game: Demons will be looking to get the game on their terms and back themselves in a shootout with lots of sharing the ball around. Swamprats will want to control possession of the ball and slow down the pace to once again deny the Demons sufficient scoring opportunities.
